Inside Amazon Go: The camera-filled convenience store that watches you back

The retail giant Amazon.com opened a new convenience store to the public here on Monday with none of the hurdles of a traditional supermarket: At Amazon Go, there are no cashiers, shopping carts or checkout lines to slow shoppers down.

But there’s a trade-off. In this store, the shoppers are on display too, tracked by hundreds of cameras and sensors from the first swipe of their phone to their last step out the door.

The futuristic grab-and-go market represents a test of new technology that could soon spread nationwide, as Amazon and other grocery giants seek to win business from shoppers craving selection, ease and speed.

“The number one problem for people is time poverty,” said Dilip Kumar, vice president of technology for Amazon Go, while standing in the store during its grand public opening. “People want good food fast and they want it to be convenient.”